


smells like grass (from the gotoro empire with love)

by asunnydisposition



Category: Stardew Valley (Video Game)
Genre: Gen, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Relationships to be added - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-04-11
Updated: 2017-04-28
Packaged: 2018-10-17 15:36:30
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,593
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10597017
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/asunnydisposition/pseuds/asunnydisposition
Summary: The bright light from the monitor made Teo’s head pound. The sounds of his co-workers tapping away at keyboards and exchanging office gossip didn’t help his migraine either. His fingers itched to open the drawer and pull out the letter that his grandpa had given him years ago. Maybe today would be the day that he finally opens it.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> first time writing for the fandom. pls be gentle with teo

“Be careful, Emilia. The next step is slippery.” Their mother cautioned them as the metal step groaned beneath the combined weight of her younger brother and her self. Emilia adjusted her hold on Mateo before she edged closer to the wall, avoiding the small puddle. Behind her, a man lost his footing but was able to hold on to the railing, making the narrow staircase shake. Mateo huddled closer to his older sister, wrapping his arms around her neck. The sudden tremor had scared him.

  
_“It’s okay, little treasure.”_ Emilia whispered in their native tongue. Their mother had forbidden them from speaking in it once they had boarded but it was the only way she could console him. Mateo was only five years old and despite being familiar with certain English words and phrases, he still had a long way to go before he could communicate in it fluently.

  
“We will only speak in English once we reach Ferngill Republic.” Their mother’s voice sounded tired and she was sure her children were as well. “Understand?”

  
“Yes.” Emilia replied while Mateo only nodded. She knew that he didn’t fully understand yet but he would have to if he wanted to live a life free from the Empire.

  
The three of them reached the deck of the ship and saw that there were many passengers aboard. They bustled about, looking for family members or a warm meal to eat. Emilia shifted Mateo in her arms and quickly followed their mother who made her way towards a short line. A stern looking man with half-moon glasses was checking papers and giving directions on which cabin they would be staying in. In a gruff voice, he informed them that they would be sharing their cabin with a family of four.

  
Their mother thanked him before leading the three of them down below.

  
The cramped corridor was humid and the voices of children playing around and adults talking loudly to one another was too much for Mateo’s ears. He sniffled and covered his ears. He didn’t like being down here.

  
Emilia noticed her brother’s discomfort and began to shush him, fingers threading through curly black hair. She didn’t quite understand what their mother had meant when she told her that Mateo was ‘special’ but she did know enough to know when he was experiencing what he thought was unpleasant.  
With a grunt, their mother pushed open the heavy door of their cabin. The sound of metal scraping against metal made Mateo whine, tears forming at the corner of his eyes. The three of them stood at the entryway and took in the sight of the small cabin. Windowless with a single florescent light illuminating the room and two bunkbeds opposite each other on either wall.

  
There were two children on the top right bunk while their parents were seated on the lower bunk. The parents nodded to their mother who returned a nod in kind. Their children, two little boys who were wearing identical knit caps, peered over the railing of the bed. They looked to older than Mateo but younger than Emilia.  
Emilia set Mateo down on the bed and wiped away the tears with her sleeve.

  
_“Everything will be alright.”_ Emilia reassured him. She moved towards their mother and helped her with packing away their bags. The two boys watched them with curiosity sparkling in their eyes.

  
_“Why is he crying, mama?”_ The older looking one asked.

  
_“Is it because he’s hungry?”_ The younger boy sat up.

  
_“Why don’t you ask him yourselves?”_ Their mother, a portly woman with kind eyes, told them. _“Why don’t you give him some of those biscuits that we made?”_

  
The younger boy inched closer to the edge of the bunk, grabbing on to the railing before swinging his legs and landing on their parents’ bed. He rolled off and sat next to Mateo. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a handkerchief-covered biscuit. He unwrapped it and unveiled a partially crumbled up biscuit. It had three different kinds of berries baked into it and was topped with small bits of goat cheese.

  
_“It tastes good even though it looks like that.”_ The older brother pointed out.

  
_“Thank you.”_

 

**X**

 

The pouring rain sounded like bullets hitting the roof of the bus and even though the AC was turned down to its lowest, it still chilled Elora to her core. Her children had taken the right seat opposite hers and Emilia was asleep with her head on Mateo’s lap while the younger boy was content to lean against the window, puffing warm breath on the glass and drawing small people. Elora had tried to coax her son back to sleep but the rain bothered him too much.

  
A lot of things bothered Mateo ever since they fled the Empire.

  
Elora sighed and looked down on the faded letter that was sent to her a year and a half ago. It had once contained a dried flower (a fairy rose, the letter specified) but was now long lost. The writer was a former lover of hers, the father of Emilia and Mateo, who went back to Ferngill once the Empire started cracking down on non-Gotoro citizens.

  
This was when a war was beginning to brew in the heart of Gotoro. He had promised Elora a safe haven for her and her children to go to. His hometown in a place called Stardew Valley. He had written that if they were ever to look for him, they should go to Sunrise Farm. He wrote down that he would be eagerly waiting for them and reassured Elora that his parents would love Emilia and Mateo.

  
Holding the letter to her chest, Elora released a sigh that she didn’t realize she was holding. Amidst all the promises and sweet nothings he had written her, the only thing that mattered to Elora was that their family would be complete once more.

 

She always believed that a person dreamt more sweetly if they had simple dreams.

  
The bus driver, a lady in a pink tracksuit, slowed down and announced their stop.

  
Elora stood and woke Emilia. Mateo helped his sister get up while their mother took care of the bags. Emilia stumbled her way off the bus, holding Mateo’s hand tightly in hers. Elora noticed that her son was sucking his thumb again. Another habit that he needed to break out of.

  
Before stepping off the bus, she asked the driver where she could find Sunrise Farm. After the directions were given, she thanked her and half-jogged towards her children who were huddled close under an umbrella. It could easily fit the three of them but a medium sized hole made staying dry a difficulty.

  
They sloshed through the rain and mud, Emilia and Mateo sticking close to their mother. Following the directions given, they easily found the farm. Making their way to the small farmhouse, the children noticed all the lush vegetation covering the area. They saw some barns and coops as well, Mateo grinning at the thought of seeing animals. Once they reached the porch of the farmhouse, Elora shook the water off the umbrella while her children continued to gawk at the farm.  
When the umbrella was sufficiently dry, she turned and knocked on the door.

 

**X**

 

The bright light from the monitor made Teo’s head pound. The sounds of his co-workers tapping away at keyboards and exchanging office gossip didn’t help his migraine either. His fingers itched to open the drawer and pull out the letter that his grandpa had given him years ago. Maybe today would be the day that he finally opens it.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Funny how the residents of Pelican Town were just like the sparrows. They all seemed less intimidating than the ones in the city.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sasom- older sister

Scattered clothes surrounded Mateo as he folded up a shirt and placed it inside his open suitcase. He picked up a yellow sock beside him and frowned when he couldn’t find its missing pair nearby. He stood up, walked over to his dresser and began to rummage through his socks and underwear. It didn’t seem right that his sock would lose its pair like that. He wasn’t a complete neat freak like Emilia but he kept things where they should be –socks tied up together, underwear along with socks, shirts folded, collared ones were hung along with his slacks- and losing a sock bothered him.

Mateo heaved a sigh and tossed the sock on to his bed. He’d look for the missing one later. He had other clothes to pack and he still needed to email his resignation letter to his boss. No use worrying about it now.  
Emilia looked up from the magazine she was reading when the sock landed near her. She had been reading an article that her fiancé had written on interior design and color schemes for a modern looking kitchen. She sat up and watched her little brother shuffle around the piles of clothing. She was ready to help him if he ever asked but she knew Mateo like the back of her hand and her little brother was a stubborn as a mule.

  
_“Do you need help, little treasure?”_ She asked. This was the fifth time she had asked him today. The first had been when he was packing some of his dining utensils. She took the sock and moved to the edge of the bed before Mateo raised his hand, palm facing towards Emilia.

  
“It’s fine, _sasom_ ,” Mateo straightened his back and carefully pulled out his collared shirts. He was certain that he wouldn’t need them for farmwork but it was still handy to have them around in case of a formal event. What the event was, he didn’t quite know yet. “I’ve got it under control.” He flashed her a reassuring smile before turning back his attention to two shirts.

  
Emilia set the sock down beside her and moved to lean against the wall. She crossed her legs and closed the magazine. The front cover showed a picture she had taken of an ivory wedding cake. A smile tugged at her lips as she was reminded of her fiancé’s proposal.

  
“Which one should I take with me, _sasom_?” Mateo held out a light blue button-up and a cream colored one. He was holding out the blue one slightly higher than the one in his right. He preferred the light blue because it complemented his brown skintone.

  
“ _As if you even need to ask, Mateo_ ,” Emilia giggled. “ _The blue one of course_.”

  
Mateo grinned. He put the cream colored one back in his closet before removing the light blue button-up from the hanger. He took great care as to not wrinkle it. He placed it on top of the bed and began to fold it, smoothing out any creases that he might have caused.

  
Emilia moved closer to Mateo and placed her left hand over his. The silver engagement ring was a beautiful contrast against her own brown skin.

  
_“You will come to my wedding right, little treasure?”_

  
_“Of course,”_ Mateo answered softly before taking her hand in his and giving it a gentle squeeze. _“I’ll even walk you down the aisle, beloved dove.”_

  
The crooner on the radio held his last note before the studio audience applauded. After the applause died down, the radio host thanked him before announcing the weather for the following week.

  
Clear skies and sunny days were just up ahead.

 

**X**

 

Funny how the residents of Pelican Town were just like the sparrows. They all seemed less intimidating than the ones in the city. 

It was the last night of Mateo’s stay in his apartment. He had already spent the past two days saying goodbye to his neighbors and thanking them for all their help. Mrs. Smith, the kind old lady who had three cats, had insisted that he take one of the kittens from their litter. She had approached him, with tears in her eyes, earlier that day with a cardboard box full of mewling kittens.

  
He turned her down and told her that it wouldn’t be right to separate one from their family.

  
Mateo also turned down a going-away party that Tommy, a college kid living with his girlfriend, wanted to throw for him.  
He ruffled his hair and jokingly asked Tommy when his finals were. The redhead only groaned in response while his girlfriend laughed.

  
Mateo picked at his Chinese take-out. The small radio was still plugged in and he was listening to a cheesy radio drama. He set down the box of beef and broccoli and nibbled on an eggroll. He’d ordered more food than he usually did. His nerves always made him eat more.

  
To calm himself down, Mateo started to count off the things he had already done in preparation of his move to Pelican Town.

  
He put up his pinky finger. He called Mayor Lewis to check on Sunrise Farm.

  
Then his ring finger. He composed a resignation letter and emailed it to his boss two weeks before.

  
His middle finger next. He told his mom and older sister that he was going to move.

  
His index finger followed. He made sure that he had enough money in his bank account to settle his payments.

  
And finally his thumb. He packed all his belongings and sold the other items in his apartment that he didn’t need anymore. The items that hadn’t been sold yet would be kept at Emilia’s place and once they were taken care of, she promised to send him the money.

  
Mateo made a mental sidenote that he had said his goodbyes and thank-yous. He even managed to find his other sock, he reminded himself. He smiled as he wiggled his yellow-sock-covered feet.

  
He finished his late dinner and glanced at his wristwatch. Mateo stood to throw away the empty cartons before he shuffled back to his sleeping bag with a yawn. He slipped inside and eyed his suitcase and houseplant. Tomorrow was going to be hectic for him and if he wanted to avoid morning traffic, he’d have to get to the bus stop early. He drifted off to sleep just as the closing music of the drama began to play.

 

**X**

 

Mateo’s teeth chattered as he held his houseplant closer to his chest. Despite the AC being turned down at its lowest, it was still too cold on the bus. He cupped his hands together and blew warm air into them. His breath provided a short relief from the chill but it did nothing to make the situation better. He huffed and let his gaze flicker to the bus driver. A stocky man with a bald head whistled to the tune of the pop song that was playing. The driver didn’t seem too bothered with the cold unlike Mateo. But then again, he was used to it and Mateo was not.  
Mateo was never good with handling the cold.

  
The bus driver pulled into a stop and the two men that were three rows in front of Mateo stood up. The bus driver tipped his cap at them before looking at the rearview mirror.

  
”Last stop Pelican Town.” He said with a friendly chuckle.

  
Mateo mustered up a smile and nodded.  
He leaned his head against the window and closed his eyes. He had enough time for a short nap.

 

**_X_ **

 

To Mateo’s surprise, Mayor Lewis wasn’t the one who met him at the bus stop. Instead, it was Robin, the town carpenter, who greeted him. She shot him a friendly grin as soon as he stepped off the bus. He walked up to her and he subconsciously gripped his houseplant tighter. He had been prepared to meet the mayor, not Robin. He managed a smile as he approached her.

  
“Hello there. My name is Robin.” She said with a grin.

  
“Mateo. But everyone just calls me Teo.”

  
She informed him that Lewis was preparing the farmhouse for his stay as she held out her hand. Mateo, despite his growing nerves, shook it anyway. Her hand was warm and calloused and her grip was firm. Just as one would expect from someone who labored through different building projects.

  
After the brief handshake, Robin asked him to follow her to the farm.

  
Mateo picked up his suitcase and let out a shaky sigh of relief when Robin turned around to lead the way.

  
”You must be tired from your trip huh?” Robin commented on the sigh as she looked over her shoulder.

  
Mateo nodded and thanked whatever higher being was out there that she had interpreted his nervousness as tiredness.

  
“Well, be sure to rest up, Teo. I’m sure Lewis will understand if you took the next few days to rest and get your bearings.” Robin’s tone was motherly and Mateo was tempted to ask if she had any children of her own. But he held his tongue in fear that the question would come off as nosy.

  
They soon arrived at the farm and it was everything that Mateo remembered it was.  
Though the farm was overgrown with green and trees and littered with rocks and branches, this was still the place where he and his family began their new life in Ferngill. This was the place that their father had promised them a safe haven.

  
Mateo was pulled out of his thoughts when he heard Robin laughing and Lewis pretending to be offended. He had zoned out again.

  
When the two left, Mateo went inside the house and set his houseplant down. It seemed cozy enough though he did note the lack of a kitchen. He bit his lower lip. He’d have to make a call to Emilia to ask her to send the money soon or at least some canned food. Looking around, Mateo noticed that there wasn’t a phone. Maybe he could go to the mayor’s house and use his instead.  
He placed his suitcase near the bed and went over to the fireplace. He spotted a box of matches and immediately started a small fire. The house warmed up almost instantaneously. Mateo nodded and began to unpack some of his clothes.

 

**X**

 

Mateo spent the following days clearing up a small patch of farmland. Mayor Lewis had graciously provided him with some tools to begin with and Mateo set off to work. He cut the overgrown grass and weeds, pleasantly surprised when he discovered that he could use some of the fiber and mixed seeds. He had also received a letter asking him to meet with some of the townspeople which he had hastily stuck in his journal and had been putting off.

  
He’d meet them, he told himself.

  
Eventually.

  
A week and a half had passed by and he still hadn’t bothered to leave the farm.

  
His rations were also beginning to dwindle so it was probably a good time for him to venture into town.

  
Mateo took a small washcloth and hoped that no one would visit the farm as he made his way to the other, much larger pond on the farm. The grass was thick here and there were more trees. He hoped that he could clear this place off as soon as he could but for now, they provided him with enough privacy.

  
Checking around one last time, he set his fresh set of clothes on a nearby tree stump and began to strip naked.

  
The water was colder than Mateo anticipated and he shivered. He moved around so that he could warm up. Eventually, he got used to the temperature and grew comfortable in it. He reached over to the edge of the pond and grabbed the bar of soap, lathering it in his hair and upper body. It felt good washing off the dirt but he would have preferred the water a bit warmer. Still, Mateo couldn’t be picky. He took a deep breath and ducked his head underwater.

 

**X**

 

The walk to town was peaceful and simple enough. Much different from the city where one could easily get lost in with its labyrinthine layout. Mateo hummed to himself as he combed his hair with his fingers. His hair was still damp and seemed even darker. The slight curls had straightened, making his hair look longer than it usually did.

  
The breeze was nice and the air was fresh. He couldn’t stop himself from breathing deeply. There were sparrows that flew off when he got to close. Even the birds in Pelican Town seemed different from the birds in the city. City birds were fearless and approached people who had food. Some even going as far to snatch it up if the person wasn’t careful. Here though, Mateo didn’t need to worry about any thieving fiends.

  
He arrived in what he thought was the townsquare. There was a small clinic next to a general store and further down was the saloon. Memories of passing by here to get to the beach made Mateo smile.

  
As he continued on his way to the mayor’s house, Mateo greeted an elderly lady who was tending to one of the town’s gardens. She gave him a warm smile and waved at him.

  
Once in front of what he assumed the mayor’s house was –Lewis had told him to look for the house with a pickup truck parked next to it- Mateo steeled himself and forced a grin. He knocked on the door.

  
“Mayor Lewis? It’s Teo.”

  
Inside the house, he heard a loud thud and someone moving around loudly. Mateo heard a window being opened but before he could investigate where it was coming from, the door suddenly opened to reveal a flush faced and panting Lewis.

  
“Oh! Hello Teo.” Lewis greeted him nervously as he smoothed down the front of his shirt. Before Mateo could ask him anything else, Lewis cut him off. “Is there anything I can do for you?”

  
“Oh uh…I was wondering if I could use your phone.” Mateo scratched the back of his head. “I need to call my mom and my sister. Tell ‘em I got here safe.” He decided to leave out the part where he was running out of food and needed them to send some of his money.

  
“Of course. Come in, come in,” Lewis welcomed him inside and shut the door behind them. “The phone is over there,” He gestured at the corner of the room. “Now uh if you’ll excuse me for a moment. I need to go…open a window. Let in a breeze, you know. Spring is the best season after all and who doesn’t like spring weather.” Lewis chuckled. He gave Mateo some privacy and went to his bedroom, the door clicking softly behind him.

  
Mateo stood in the middle of the room before going to the phone and dialing in his mom’s number. He was met with a beep and a message saying that Elora wasn’t home at the moment. He made it short, telling her that he had arrived and had been settling in well enough. He asked her how she was doing and if she could, she should write to him since he didn’t have a phone yet. He ended the message with an ‘I love you’.

  
He made a second call to Emilia but was greeted by his sister’s fiancé.

  
“Hello?”

  
“Hello Angeline?”

  
“Mateo! We were wondering when you’d call. How have you been, dear future brother-in-law of mine?” Angeline’s voice was soft and playful.

  
“Been good. Settling in nicely. The farm’s…well, the farm’s a farm, nothing mush to say about it,” Mateo laughed and he refrained from telling her that the farm was a mess and needed plenty of TLC. The walls have ears after all and Lewis might hear him.

“How have you been?”

  
“Same old, same old. Working our butts off and getting ready for our wedding. The usual.”

 

**X**

 

The call lasted longer than Mateo expected. Personally, he didn’t mind. He enjoyed talking to Angeline and her bright, bubbly personality. It was so different from Emilia’s own reserved, motherly nature but it was what made them so perfect for each other. Mateo could only hope that the call didn’t inconvenience Lewis as he still hadn’t left his bedroom.

  
“Mayor Lewis?” He knocked gently. “Thank you for letting me use your phone. I hope I wasn’t too much of a bother.” Mateo laughed.

  
“Of course not, Teo. If you need anything else, don’t hesitate to come over.” Was the only reply he got from Lewis.

  
“I’ll be heading out now. Thank you again for letting me use your phone.” Mateo called over his shoulder before he left.

  
He heard Lewis hum in response.

  
The sun had already begun to set once Mateo stepped outside. The beautiful blue of the sky was gone and was replaced with soft orange and pinks blending into each other. The sunsets on the beach were some of his best memories of briefly living in Pelican Town. Sparrows startled by Mateo took off in an opposite direction. He took this as his cue to find some something to eat.

  
The saloon was probably a good place to start. After all, if a saloon didn’t serve anything to eat along with something to drink, then why bother being a saloon at all. Approaching the saloon, Mateo could hear the faint sound of jaunty music being played inside. The lights illuminated the windows and he could see some shadows moving around. Of course, what good would a saloon be if it didn’t have any patrons. Mateo wrung his hands together and forced himself to go inside. He reminded himself that he only needed to get food and that he was also here to sort-of socialize.

  
Entering the saloon, a woman with electric blue hair welcomed him. Her smile reminded him of Angeline’s and he figured that it wouldn’t be so bad. He smiled back and made his way to the counter where he met the owner of the saloon. His name was Gus and he had an even more impressive mustache than Lewis’.

  
Mateo told him what he wanted and Gus said it’d be ready in a few.

  
Looking over the saloon, Mateo saw a short woman in a pink tracksuit. Tight curls and red in the face, Mateo guessed that she was already hammered. A bit too early for her to be drinking in his opinion but then again, he shouldn’t be judging her life decisions.

  
Near the entrance was a portly woman with her thick brown her in a braid. She was drinking by herself and didn’t even seem to notice him. The table opposite hers had a husky man in what seemed to be chainmail and an apron. Mateo saw that he kept glancing over towards the counter and he nearly turned away when he thought the man was eyeing him. He was here for food, he reminded himself. Mateo nearly sighed in relief when he realized that no, the man wasn’t looking at him but was looking at the woman –she had introduced herself as Emily- instead.

  
His food arrived shortly and Emily set down a glass of water next to it. Spaghetti served with plenty of tomato sauce and three medium sized meatballs. He tucked into his dinner, surprised at how hungry he was. Emily giggled at him and Gus seemed to beam with pride. Mateo felt his self-consciousness slip as he slowed his chewing and began to savor the taste.

  
Behind him, the door opened and he could hear more people enter.

  
Funny how the residents of Pelican Town were just like the sparrows. They all seemed less intimidating than the ones in the city.


End file.
